Tag: <span>Freezing food</span>

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Calcium pantothenate (also alternately called Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid) is a water-soluble member of the B-vitamin family. It plays a huge role in the functioning of the enzymes in the human body. Some of its major functions are converting food into energy, stimulating growth, reproduction, and many other normal bodily processes.

A number of B-complex supplements contain calcium pantothenate, however, it is also found in a wide variety of food sources. It is said that its richest sources are organ meats like kidney and liver but considerable amounts can also be found in cooked egg yolks, fish, meat, brewers yeast, corn, soybeans, lobster, nut, poultry, dairy products and many more. Heating, freezing and other food processing techniques can destroy the substance within the food. The recommended daily intake of this supplement to adults is 20 to 200 mg.

The vitamin B5 that is contained within calcium pantothenate is essential for the over-all functioning of the body. It is essential in human growth, reproduction and many other normal bodily processes. One of its major roles in the body is to help in the metabolism and break down of carbohydrates, fats and proteins for the production of energy in the body. Pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 also produces enzymes and helps maintain accurate communication between the central nervous system and the brain. It is also required for the production of steroid hormones and hormones of the adrenal gland.

Another important use of calcium pantothenate also called pantothenic acid is its major role in the production of coenzyme A (CoA) which assists in numerous metabolic pathways and necessary for the transfer of fats to and from cells. Without it, fats cannot be synthesized into energy.

Sufficient amounts of calcium pantothenate is potentially beneficial for fatigue, nerve disorders, high cholesterol, allergies, head aches, boosts immunity and even acne. It is even known to prevent depression. It is often used as dietary supplement because as a salt, it can become more stable than pantothenic acid in the digestive tract, thus, allowing for better absorption.

It is a water-soluble vitamin which means that it cannot be stored in the body and must be replenished every day. This substance is not considered toxic at all. Deficiency from calcium pantothenate is very rare since it is found in most foods. Fatigue is probably the earliest and most common sign of this deficiency. Lack of this substance may also lead to hypoglycemia, a disorder because of the lower than normal blood glucose in the body. There are no side-effect reports yet, however, very large amount of intake can cause diarrhea.

For more information on this supplement, visit out website at: http://purebulk.com/d-calcium-pantothenate-vit-b5

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Source by Arianna Mendez

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Urethane mortar floors (a/k/a cementitious urethane flooring or urethane cement flooring) excel over epoxy floor systems in food & beverage plants for many reasons; this USDA accepted flooring material reduces downtime, is durable in hostile environments with thermal shock, and withstands heavy impact and damaging chemical agents. For new construction, urethane concretes can be applied to 10 day old concrete, thus eliminating the typical 28 day wait for curing concrete. Use of polyurethane cement mortar systems has now surpassed once standard epoxy floor coatings and vinyl ester flooring systems such as Tufco flooring, in these special need environments. Products such as Ucrete, Flowcrete, PurCem, and CastorCrete are gaining substantial market share. Tufco flooring has even developed a urethane mortar floor system. These floors may be found in industrial kitchens at food & beverage processing industries such as meat/poultry, dairy, seafood, bakeries, breweries and all beverage processing. Poultry flooring and brewery flooring endure some of the most severe conditions for industrial flooring. Urethane mortar flooring can even withstand years of hard service in these areas.

Compared to epoxy floors, urethane flooring products have enhanced resistance to impact and abuse from dropped pots, steel parts and utensils in industrial kitchens and food plants. They handle repetitive scraping and scratching better than epoxy, acrylic and competitive systems. They are extremely beneficial in plant areas where steel wheels are used, such as bakeries. Urethane mortar floors are used as waterproof flooring, providing a “bathtub effect” in areas of the plant requiring a waterproof floor. They are non slip when wet, and provide a permanent non slip texture, due to the integral large, hard wearing aggregate, throughout the thickness of the floor system.

Cementitious urethane mortars have a similar modulus of elasticity and thermal coefficient of expansion to that of concrete. When applied over concrete, brick or tile, this prevents delamination when the flooring is stressed due to thermal conditions. These food grade floor materials withstand hot spills and repeated thermal cycling (hot washdowns, steam cleaning, etc.) without breaking down. In addition, moisture and cool temperature tolerance allows for installation on cold (above freezing), damp concrete surfaces, often found in operating food plants.

Cementitious overlays have very little odor, since there are no VOC’s. This means that there is no risk to open food products. Urethane concrete mortars can be applied next to fully operational food processing areas, eliminating the need to shut down an operation to resurface the floor. One pass installation with no primer coat required, means that many floor restoration projects can be completed over weekends, with no costly production downtime. Additionally, urethane cement flooring has excellent all around resistance to chemicals used in food & beverage plants.

The most durable urethane mortar floor systems are typically trowelled, and are applied at ¼ to 3/8 inch thickness, and provide a seamless matte finish. These trowel applied urethane mortars have physical properties that are twice that of concrete. Self-leveling “slurry” systems were originally developed for contractors that were not able to install the urethane mortar floors. These systems typically applied a 1/8 to 3/16 inch thickness. They provide a heavy duty surface in areas which require a high gloss, urethane or polyurethane concrete top coat, maximum cleanability, and high aesthetics. Applications consists of screeding, broadcasting with natural quartz aggregate, and top coating. They are available with a novolac epoxy topcoat, which allows for installation in chemical storage areas, with concentrated spillages. These systems may also be finished with colored quartz or vinyl chips.

The original system, Ucrete HF, is an FDA type USDA flooring, USDA approved, trowel applied urethane, and is the original system (has been around for more than 40 years). It has withstood the test of time in the harshest environments. The trowelled ¼ inch system offers the highest level of durability with a lifespan of greater than ten years. The only drawback of urethane mortars, is that they are slightly more expensive upfront, than epoxy; however they offer long term performance and the maximum return on investment.

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Source by Robert E Long

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A kitchen is an area where you strengthen the bond of relationship with the aroma of food. Every kitchen looks different depending on its owner. But it has few essentials that can be seen in every household kitchen. If you are a creative home keeper, you would like to keep your kitchen in the best way.

When it comes to tools, kitchen has an amalgam of various types of equipment that support everyday functionality. No matter, how big or how small kitchen you have, you cannot do without these tools:

Cutting Tools

The cooking job is not easy but cutting tools ease it off. Various types of cutting tools make chopping easy and fun for you. No matter how much food you have to prepare, cutting items make it easy and reduce your time and efforts.

• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Peelers
• Potato Masher
• Graters
• Shears

Food Preparing Tools

When it comes to preparing food, it involves various steps like washing, chopping, freezing, and cooking. To prepare the food, you need to take care of different steps carefully. Food preparing is an everyday job. So the more tools you have, the easier it will be. Why not having a set of ideal food preparing tools to get the work done smoothly and efficiently? The list may vary depending on your kitchen but few items are a must like:

• Measuring Cups
• Sauté Pan
• Measuring Spoons
• Spatula
• Ladle
• Food Storage Containers

Garnishing Tools

Well, when it comes to garnishing, it adds to the taste of cuisine. Nowadays, food presentation really matters. Whenever you host a party or you have guests around, you want to present everything that looks perfect. Garnishing tools include these items:

• Slicer
• Skewers and Picks
• Covers
• Wedges
• Mandolins
• Chop Frills

Pie & Cake Tools

You may or may not love desserts but if you have kids, they love pie and cake. Preparing cakes requires skills and accurate knowledge of using ingredients as well as tools. These tools not only help you make delicious desserts but help you present them in an attractive way. Following are the pie and cake tools to add to your kitchen:

• Over Mitts
• Saucepan
• Blender
• Tongs
• Mixing Bowls
• Splatter Guard
• Whisk
• Grill Pan
• Baking Sheet Pan

Cleaning Tools

When it comes to hygiene, cleaning tools are a must. No kitchen can look perfect without them. Who does not like to see spick and span kitchen? It boosts up your mood and makes you feel energetic to cook in a neat and clean kitchen. Whosoever wants to cook with love, must use cleaning tools to serve the perfectly cooked food for a healthy family.

• Scrub Brush
• Dish Cloth
• Scrubbing Pads
• Steel Wool
• Cloth Towels
• Plastic Scraper
• Rubber Gloves

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Source by Uma M Singh

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Summer is the best time of the year to eat fresh vegetables. I like to mix a variety of vegetables together to make a vegetable medley. I prefer leafy greens, but I love carrots, squash and zucchini. Zucchini and squash are great alone or paired together making a lovely arrangement of colors. As a matter of fact, I love most all vegetables; my favorite being asparagus.

I am such a fan of garlic that is why I use plenty of it in my recipes. Of course, you can always adjust the amounts of any of the ingredients. Since it is just me and my daughter to cook for, I don’t have to prepare a lot of food unless I plan on freezing it. Most of the time, I fix enough to last for leftovers the next day. Here is a favorite late summer early fall recipe I would like to share with you.

Ingredients

1 to 2 zucchini

1 to 2 squash

1 cup grape/cherry tomatoes

1 onion

4 to 5 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tsp thyme

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 Tsp sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

First I wash the zucchini and squash then slice into 1 inch pieces. I leave the skin on but you may like it removed. Cut the onion into to quarters then cut those pieces down into quarters. Place the zucchini squash and onions into a saucepan. Throw in the tomatoes and add the extra virgin olive oil. Dice the garlic or you can use minced garlic from the jar and add to the pot. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper and add the thyme seasoning and Italian seasoning. I like to add a dash of sugar since sugar makes anything with tomatoes taste better. Mix all the ingredients well and cook on the stove top until vegetables are tender. Another way I prepare this is I sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes then I add in the vegetables and cooks them in the olive oil. I add in the rest of the ingredients then add the seasoning and toss in the oil until cooked through. The cooking time will be around 20-25 minutes. Place the vegetable medley in a serving dish. The colors of all the ingredients make an attractive dish, and we all know how important it is to eat your colors.

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Source by Natasha Carmon

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Antifreeze Coolant

Antifreeze is a very important unit of the car since it protects the engine from the freezing damage. When the water gets converted into ice, it poses a problem for the car. Antifreeze is actually the heat transfer fluid which is used to protect the freezing. In both the solar water heaters and the HVAC chillers it is used. Chemical are added to the water in order to prevent the freezing. Antifreeze assists in the freezing point when water is mixed, but then it also aids the boiling point. It is used widely in the car engine since it is capable of transferring the heat. When the antifreeze is used to the car engine, it is termed as the Antifreeze Coolant since it cools the engine.

What is the function of the ethylene glycol?

Ethylene glycol is the most commonly used antifreeze in the car. The water-based solution functions as the fantastic heat-transfer fluid. So, when the temperature reaches below the level of 32 degrees of Fahrenheit or 0 degrees. The fluid transfers the heat to prevent freezing. When the unit functions by the water-cooled engine, the coolant is used. Commonly used in the machines and the cars, the coolant cannot be used in the food processing equipment. This is so because if there is any leaking, the food can become poisonous. The Ethylene Glycol is used widely in the cars, machines, air conditioners and even the liquid cooled computer. Since the solution has the low freezing point, it resists the freezing. Ethylene Glycol has a great compatibility with water and has the higher boiling point.

The need for the antifreeze in extreme climatic conditions

Antifreeze is the real savior of the vehicle when it is cold. The water as a result of the antifreeze does not freeze. The water in the radiator of the car will not freeze and so the parts of the car will not get destroyed. When the outside temperature is hot also, the antifreeze is of great use. It even restricts the important fluids in the car from evaporating. Since the antifreeze has the lubricating properties, it does not evaporate with the pace of the water. In fact, the parts of the car like the hose pipe need to be prevented from damage.

The environmental friendly precious green liquid

The antifreeze coolant is a must if you really want the vehicle in the running condition. The environmentally friendly, precious green liquid will keep the car parts warm even when it is extremely cold. Without the antifreeze, the car will encounter a mechanical problem. When the car stops working due to freezing, many people think that it is all due to the leakage of the radiator, the failure of the heater core and even due to the opening or closing of the thermostat.

When it is winter, you need to start and stop the car to keep the engine warm. In countries where there is extreme cold, the engine needs to be started from time to time. When it comes to the car system, the antifreeze solution is vital.

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Source by Martin Stapper

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We love waffles around here but on a typical school morning, I don’t have the time to make up a fresh batch of waffles. We used to rely on store-bought frozen waffles during the week and only indulged in the much tastier homemade waffles on the weekends. That is until I discovered how easy it is to freeze and then reheat those waffles.

On the weekend, when you have plenty of time, make up a large batch of your favorite waffle batter. Bake up the waffles and use the last few for breakfast with your family. Allow the remaining waffles to cool.

After you’ve enjoyed your breakfast with the family, get out a large cookie sheet and line it with wax paper. Lay your cooled leftover waffles on the cookie sheet and stick it in the freezer. Come back after about 30 minutes to an hour and see if your waffles are frozen solid.

If they are, get out a large freezer bag and write Waffles as well as today’s date on the bag. If you’d like you can also include how many waffles you are adding to the bag. Remove your frozen waffles from the cookie sheet and put them in your freezer bag.

To prevent freezer burn, be sure to use a good quality freezer bag (I prefer gallon size for these)and squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before you close it. Return the bag to the freezer and repeat layering and freezing cooked waffles on the cookie sheet until they are all frozen.

When you are ready to enjoy quick homemade waffles, grab a few from the freezer and tick them in your toaster oven. Toast them once or twice until they are hot and golden brown.

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Source by Susanne Myers

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Get your little ones off to a healthy start in life by feeding them with homemade baby food. They provide an efficient way of preparing healthy and nutritious food for your little ones. Today’s mills are multi functional in that they can grind most products (carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, apples and even meat) to the desired texture. During the teething process a good quality grinder is specially designed to crush solid food into a semi solid state which helps with your baby’s ease of swallowing. They are compact, easy to assemble and clean, lightweight and are travel friendly.The process of grinding is extremely straightforward; you put the desired food inside the baby food mill and grind.

When choosing a product you should purchase based on the following criteria.The capacity of the baby food mill should be your first consideration as each of these appliances process varying amounts of food at a time. Larger volume baby food processors allow you to process several meals at once so that the food can be stored for later use or for freezing.

The second consideration is the wattage of the appliance especially if you plan on preparing food for your baby several times a day. Check the wattage of the Baby Food Mill and choose a unit that has the higher wattage to insure that is will hold up to continual use in the kitchen. The higher the wattage the more powerful the appliance and the more efficient it will work since it will have a more robust motor. This ensures more uniformed baby food.

Functionality is the third consideration. Some baby food mills are suitable only for making puree while others can also grind hard veggies, fruits and boneless meat.

The fourth consideration is composition.It is important to check the composition of the material used to manufacture the appliance. It should be BPA, Phthalate and PVC free. This is especially important if you are considering purchasing an electrical appliance.

Price is the fifth criteria when choosing a mill. There are a wide variety of manufacturers on the market each supplying differently priced units The price ranges vary considerably and are generally based on whatever features and optional extras that are included. The top of the range Baby Food Mills will heat and steam your fruits and vegetables.

Baby Food Mills are an ideal investment for preparing puree. They make the transition from processed to solid foods for your child a lot easier. They are great time savers and provide consistent textures when cooking in bulk for your baby. They are easy to operate and are highly portable ideal when travelling or dining out. These appliances are great at removing indigestible husks, skins, and seeds. You can save money by eliminating the extra costs associated with buying expensive packaged foods.

These units will last a long time if you follow the instructions correctly. They can chop vegetables and fruits and is more efficiently. Apart from the motor all parts of the baby food mill can be washed under the tap or in the dishwasher. Using a these compact units will ensure your baby will have the freshest food possible. Feeding your child wholesome foods that contain an abundance of nutrients helps in their development.

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Source by Caroline Smyth

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Arowana Food: Crickets

There are many types of food you can feed your Arowana. From insects to amphibians, from worms to different sea creatures, and even artificial feeds, there’s a whole lot of food available for this type of fish. In this article, however, you will find everything you need to know about one type of bug that Arowanas like to eat. In this article, crickets as Arowana food will be the main topic of discussion.

A spectrum of nutrients is provided to an Arowana when a cricket is fed to it. Illnesses and disorders are also rare occurrences when feeding an Arowana this type of food. However, one must remember to take off the tough shell protecting the cricket when feeding it to an Arowana when it is still in its infantile stage so that stomach problems may be circumvented. Making sure that the cricket is farm bred is also important due to the fact that a wild cricket may have been already sprayed with insecticide, thus making it quite dangerous for the health of your Arowana. The measure of the cricket should also be suitable to the size of the Arowana it will be fed to. As Arowana food, freezing a cricket may also be done to promote an untroubled meal.

Additionally, making a cricket consume vegetables with vitamin A, such as carrots and squash, could also be done before the bug is given to the Arowana so that there could be a transmission of sustenance. Arowanas benefit from vitamin A in such a way that its color receives a boost, especially in cases of red Arowanas.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to using a cricket as Arowana food. However, one must always keep in mind that in feeding an Arowana, variety is always needed so that alimentary deficit may be prevented.

Arowana Food: Cockroaches

Another Arowana food that could be easily found everywhere is cockroaches. This insect has the same value as crickets when it comes to feeding your pet Arowana. However, one should always keep in mind the dangers of letting an Arowana eat a dead cockroach. A reason behind this is the fact that it is unsanitary. Also, it may have died due to pesticide, thus making it unhealthy for your pet to eat. Therefore, always choose farm bred cockroaches if you’re going to feed them to your Arowana.

As previously stated, cockroaches are just like crickets when it comes to feeding your pet Arowana. This type of Arowana food has the same nutritional value as crickets do and just like the latter, cockroaches could also be given nutritional supplements containing vitamin A so that when it is their turn to be eaten by the Arowana, the sustenance is passed on. It is good to feed the cockroaches with squash, carrots and other vegetables containing vitamin A before they are fed to the Arowana because the said vitamin causes an Arowana’s color to improve. On another note, just like crickets, the size of the cockroaches you feed your Arowana should also be proportional to the length of your Arowana. Lastly, because they are just the same as crickets, you could also freeze them before letting your Arowana eat them, and it is also advisable to quarantine them for a couple of days before feeding them to your Arowana to ensure that they are free of any ailments.

So if you plan on using cockroaches as your Arowana food of choice, keep in mind the information found on this article and you’ll surely be trouble free in the health department of your pet Arowana. However, you should also always remember that diversity should always be present in your Arowana’s diet to keep it healthy at all times. Hang on to these reminders and your Arowana will surely live a long life.

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Source by Robert Khaw

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Have you tried storing basil for the winter in a milk carton? This is just one of three good methods to store basil that are revealed below.

With the threat of frost, all garden basil must be harvested and then hopefully stored to be enjoyed during the cold months to come. Since basil has a high water content is cannot be dried like many other herbs as it will turn black and lose flavor. It will also turn black if chopped or bruised and exposed to air. Fortunately freezing basil works great.

Before describing the freezing methods, let’s digress briefly. If you are growing basil yourself, then hopefully you have been harvesting and pruning all season. Pruning makes the plants fuller and keeps them from going to seed which diminishes the leaf flavors. You can store basil keeping it fresh for up to two weeks by placing the branches in a vase and keeping them on the counter out of the sun.

So let’s get back to how to freeze basil. The first step for all three methods is to clean & dry the basil. First remove all leaves from the stems. If you are going to try out the second freezing method, then you will probably want to leave some of the buds intact. The stems should be discarded. Rinse the leaves thoroughly taking care not to bruise them. Finally you want to remove excess water from the leaves by using a salad spinner or laying them out on towels to dry.

The first and most common way to freeze basil is basically the start of a pesto sauce. You chop or puree the basil leaves with olive oil and a bit of salt in a food processor. Coating the basil pieces with oil protects them from air so they can maintain their color & flavor. Pour the puree into small air tight containers and add some extra olive oil on top. After defrosting the puree, re-process adding your favorite pesto ingredients.

The second method takes a little more time, but is still an easy way to freeze basil. This method keeps whole individual leaves or plant buds intact to use as garnish. Put prepared leaves & buds on trays in the freezer for about one to two hours. Once they are frozen, put them into air tight containers. Do not over crowd them; otherwise they will lose their shape. After defrosting for use, you can julienne the leaves or use them whole as garnish on pasta dishes or soups.

Now how about that milk carton? This third method is the easiest. Simply pack the leaves into a cleaned out milk carton with the top cut down. Seal the top closed. Use quart sized cartons & then put the sealed carton inside a Ziploc baggy to make it air tight. When you want to use the basil for cooking, cut off a slice of the carton & re-store the remainder as it was. The frozen leaves are great to use in sauces.

Hopefully you will try one (or all) of these easy ways to freeze basil. By taking time to store basil in the fall, you can enjoy the fresh basil flavors throughout the year. Happy cooking!

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Source by Alex Newmon

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Did you know that your child can get food poisoning from food that has come in contact with the interior of her lunch box?

To avoid food borne odors and possible food poisoning it’s important that lunch bags or boxes are routinely cleaned.

Ideally a kid lunch box should be wiped with a damp cloth which a little antibacterial soap has been added. The kid lunch box should be then rinsed and dried thoroughly. If your child’s lunch box can withstand regular washing and rinsing it should be done daily and left to drip dry. Never zip up or replace the lid on a kid lunch box that is not thoroughly dry.

Counter surfaces where prep work is done should be cleaned prior to bringing out any of your ingredients or wrap/container supplies. Likewise, your hands and any utensils should be thoroughly washed.

To protect your child from the threat of food poisoning consider freezing sandwiches ahead of time or packing a frozen/partially frozen drink or ice pack in your kid lunch box. Most school lunches are left to sit at room temperature for about four hours. Frozen sandwiches even in insulated bags will thaw during this time giving your child a fresh sandwich by lunch.

Sandwich freshness is maintained when you use fresh ingredients and you prepare and freeze quantities for no more than two weeks.

It’s important however that sandwich fillings are carefully selected as not all ingredients can be safely frozen. Good fillings include deli meats, cooked poultry and roast beef, low fat cheese, peanut butter (and jam) etc. Do not freeze eggs or sandwiches such as tuna or salmon with mayonnaise.

Sandwiches should be wrapped securely in plastic or sealed in plastic bags without excess air. To be sure that your sandwiches are used within the freshest time frame place all similar sandwiches back into the original bread bag and label with a best before date.

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Source by Sherrie Le Masurier